Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 8, 1939 E. F. SCHWELLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 19372 Sheets-Sheet 1 la d INVENTOR. ,Fa/wo f.' 6mm/fuse H/S ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 8, 1939 E, F. scHwELLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 19372 Smets-Sheet 2 n 9v 7 2 u... 5 5

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HIS A TTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATINGAPPARATUS Application October 29,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinet constructions and moreparticularly to the structure of a door for such cabinets Heretoforerefrigerator cabinet doors have been relatively heavy and the weightthereof has caused Wear of the door hinges which resulted in sagging ofthe door and misalignment of same relative to the opening to be closedthereby. Even in the more recent refrigerator cabinet door constructionshaving outer and inner metallic wall panels these doors are of excessiveweight due to bulky wood frames or the like ordinarily incorporated intheir construction to provide structural strength, to support andprevent twisting of the metal panels relative to one another and toprevent warping of the door. The wood frames in cabinet doors are not ofas high insulating properties as some. more efficient present-dayinsulating materials and since they are bulky they not only increase theweight of a door structure but also occupy considerable space within thedoor provided for insulating material. Since these wood frames areordinarily located along the peripheral edges of refrigerator cabinetdoors the food compartment of a cabinet is not sufficiently insulated inthe immediate vicinity of the sides of the access opening thereof. It ispreferable therefore to eliminate wood frame structures fromrefrigerator cabinet door constructlons.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an improvedrefrigerator cabinet door construction which is of light weight andhighly efficient for insulating the opening adapted to be closedthereby.

Another object of my invention is to provide an insulated refrigeratorcabinet door which is devoid of a wood frame and which has inner andouter metallic Wall panels held together against twisting ormjsalignment relative to one another by improved means.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved refrigeratorcabinet door in which substantially the entire portion or chamberbetween the exterior walls thereof can be lled with highly eflicientinsulating material.

In carrying out the foregoing objects, it is a still further and morespecific object of my invention to more effectively insulate arefrigerator cabinet door particularly along the peripheral edgesthereof.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description', reference being had to the accom- 1937,Serial No. 171,749

panying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet having adoor construction in accordance with my invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a vertical enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1' showing the improved refrigerator cabinet door more in detail;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal enlarged sectional view of the improved doortaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the outer metal door pan oftheimproved door showing a portion of the door reinforcing meanstherein; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional "view taken .on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the. drawings, for illustrating my invention, I have showna refrigerator cabinet generally represented by the reference numeral I0and having metal inner and outer walls Il and I2 with insulatingmaterial I4 disposed therebetween bounding the food storage compartmenti5. The walls ii and l2 are provided with 5 registering apertures, theedges of which are connected by insulating members I6 forming wallportions of an opening or neck Il providing access to compartment l5.The food compartment access opening l1 is normally closed by a door,generally represented by the reference character I8, pivotally mountedupon cabinet l0 by hinges I9. A latch mechanism 2li of any suitable orconventional construction well-known to those skilled in the art andhaving a portion thereof carried by the door I8 is provided to maintainthe door in closed position.

The refrigerator cabinet door i8 of the present invention comprises anouter substantially flat metal wall, pan or panel 2| and an inner sub-40 stantially flat metal wall, pan or panel 22 s iced apart and havingany suitable or desirable insulating material 23, such, for example, asa loose type having no appreciable structural strength, disposedtherebetween. The vertical cross-sectional contour of wall 2| isstraight or flat as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, while thehorizontal cross-sectional contourl thereof is curved as shown in Fig. 3for the purpose of improving the appearance of the refrigerator cabinet.The door outer wall 2l is provided around its periphery with reverselybent fiange portions 24 terminating in-a'short angled edge portion orprojections 26. A substantially rigid insulating collar 21 extendsaround the peripheral 2 edge of the door I8 and is secured, by screws26, to the short edge portion or projections 26 of pan 2|. This collar21 has a lip extension 25 formed integrally with a rubber strip 3|clamped between the same and the edge 26 of pan 2|. A plurality of metalclip members 32 are secured to collar 21, in spaced apart relationaround the door, by rivets 33. The clips 32 are bent inwardly and thenoutwardly to provide a pocketlike portion 34 therein. Clip members 32terminate in a straight portion 35 which forms a backing for the innerdoor wall or pan 22 and the pan 22 is secured to this portion 35 of theclip members by screws 36. The rubber trim molding or breaker strip 3|extends entirely across the insulating collar 21 and has one of itsedges terminating with a hollow flexible bead 36 which abuts thereversely bent flange portion 24 of pan 2| and is adapted to engage thefront wall |2 of cabinet I0 to provide a seal for preventing the escapeof cold air from the food storage compartment I5. The opposite edge ofrubber strip 3| terminates in an enlarged portion 39 fitted within thepocket portion 34 of the clip members 32. A reversely bent edge portion4| provided on the inner door wall or pan 22 abuts the head 39 on therubber member 3| when pan 22 is clamped to clips 32 by the screws 36.Thus, it will be seen that the door pans 2| and 22 are rigidlymaintained in spaced apart relation to one another. The walls 2| and 22and their connecting means form an outer shell structure for door |6providing a chamber in which the insulating material 23 is located.

I have described the outer walls or peripheral shell construction ofdooi` i8, but it is to be understood that the door requires furtherelements of construction to increase the structural strength thereof andto maintain the metal walls 2| and 22 in. parallel relation. with oneanother. Since it is preferable to coat the door outer metal wall or pan2| with a vitreous enamel, such as porcelain, which is baked thereon,this wall or pan 2|, due to its contour, usually warps out of itsoriginal shape or form during heating thereof to bake the enamel finishor coating thereon. Therefore, it is necessary to spring the door pan 2|back into its original shape, after heating and baking the enamel finishthereon, and to provide means for checking the twisting torsion of thepan and for maintaining same in its original shape, This means in thepresentdisclosure is in the form of a torque tube device and includes apair of substantially U- shaped in cross section metal strips 44 whichare of a predetermined width to cause the leg portions thereof to ntsnugly within the space provided between the portion of flange 24 thatis parallel with the outer wall of door pan 2| and the inner surf-ace ofthis pan. Therefore, one of the U-shaped metal strips 44 is locatedwithin door pan 2| and extends along the top of the door I8 while theother of the metal strips 44 is located within the door pan 2| andextends along the bottom of the door. The torque tube device heretoforementioned also includes a hollow metal tube 45 which has its one end 46welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper of the metal U-shapedstrips 44. A somewhat larger diametered hollow metal tube 41 has its oneend 48 welded or brazed tc the lower of the metal strips 4. The otherend of the smaller diametered tube 45 is telescoped into and rigidlysecured to the other end 52 of the larger diametered tube 41. TheU-shaped metal strips 44 and the tubes 45 and 41 secured thereto areplaced within the pan 2| after the enamel finish has been baked on thedoor pan 2|, with the tubes freely telescoped together and movablerelative to one another. The door pan 2| is then sprung from its warpedshape into its original predetermined substantially fiat shape whereuponthe ends 5| and 52 of the metal tubes 45 and 41 respectively are weldedor brazed together as indicated at 53. The tubes 45 and 41 arepreferably located at the vertical center of door pan 2| and thesecuring of these tubes together against movement relative to oneanother in the manner described maintains the door pan 2| in itsoriginal predetermined fiat shape. Thus the means herein described andcomprising tubes 45, 41 and strips 44 insures proper alignment of thedoor I8 with the access opening |1 of the food storage compartment I5 ofcabinet I0.

The upper tube 45 has a metal piece 55 secured thereto, as at 56. Thismetal piece 55 extends horizontally from tube 45 (see Fig. 3) along thewall 2| to a point closely adjacent a peripheral edge of door |8 and iscorrugated, as at 51, (see Fig. 5) for structural strength. A flat metalbacking piece 58 is secured to the metal piece 55 to further increasethe structural strength of same. A fiat end portion 59 of metal piece 55forms a rigid support for a wood block 6| upon which the door latchmechanism 2U is mounted. Thus, while the door construction I8 is devoidof a wood frame structure, the metal piece 55 serves to provide a rigidmounting for the latch mechanism 2U to thereby conceal a portion of thelatch mechanism within the walls of door |8.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided an improvedrefrigerator cabinet dooi` construction which is oi. light weight,strong and durable, economical to manufacture and of incr'easedinsulating characteristics. 'My im proved door construction permitssubstantially the entire chamber between the shell structure thereof tobe occupied by highly efficient insulating material. The improved meansfor increasing the structural strength of the door maintains parts ofthe door in alignment with one another and provides a constructionwhich, after being -aligned with the food compartment door or accessopening, properly seals the opening at all times. By eliminating thewood frame structure from the door herein disclosed, the peripheraledges of the door can be insulated with an insulating material thatpossesses higher and more efficient insulating properties to therebyeffectively insulate the food compartment around the sides of the accessopening thereof. My improved insulated door structure thereforesubstantially prevents condensation of moisture on the exterior of therefrigerator cabinet and particularly in the vicinity of the foodcompartment access opening. Since the improved door is of light weight,wear of the hinges is materially reduced to thereby provide for theproper alignment of the door with the food compartment opening at alltimes.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, al1 coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A frameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a shell structure including a metal member forming onefacethereof, a member forming another face of the shell structure door,means for securing said door facing members together in spaced apartrelation to provide a chamber therebetween, insulating material withinsaid chamber, said insulating material extending from the inner surfaceof one edge to the inner surface of an opposed edge of said door shellstructure to insulate said door continuously throughout the crosssectional area of said chamber, said metal member having a portiondirected inwardly from the outer extremities thereof and extending in asingle plane entirely around the door, said portion of said metal memberforming a shoulder extending continuously around the door and adapted toface the cabinet for registration with the wall thereof having theopening therein to be closed by said door, and a substantially I-shapedtorque tube device located within said door shell structure forpreventing twisting thereof and having portions engaging said metalmember to maintain its shoulder forming portion in its single plane ofextension around said door.

2. A frameless door for closing an opening in a, wall of a cabinetcomprising, a shell structure including a relatively shallow metalpan-like member forming the outer face thereof, a mem-v ber forming theinner face of the shell structure door, means for securing said doorfacing mem,- bers together in spaced apart relation to provide a chambertherebetween, insulating material of a type having no appreciablestructural strength disposed within said chamber, said insulatingmaterial extending from-the inner surface of one edge to the innersurface of an opposed edge of said door shell structure to insulate saiddoor con tinuously throughout the cross sectional area of said chamber,said metal pan-like member of said door shell structure having areversely bent flange portion directed inwardly from the outerextremities thereof and extending in a single plane entirely around thedoor, said reversely bent flange portion of said metal pan-like memberforming a shoulder extending continuously around the door and adapted toface the cabinet for registration with the wall thereof having theopening therein to be closed by said door, and a substantially I-shapedtorque tube device located within said door shell structure forpreventing twisting thereof and having portions engaging said metalpan-like member to maintain its shoulder forming portion in its singleplane of extension around said door.

3. A frameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a metal member forming one face of said door, a memberforming another face of the door, means for securing said door facingmembers together in spaced apart relation to provide a chambertherebetween, insulating material within said chamber, said metal memberhaving a portion directed inwardly from the outer extremities thereofand extending in a single plane entirely around the door, said portionof said metal member forming a shoulder extending continuously aroundthe door and adapted to face the cabinet for registration with the wallthereof having the opening therein to be closed by said door, and meansfor preventing twisting of said metal member to maintain said shoulderforming portion thereof in its single plane of extension around saiddoor, said means comprising a'rigid element having a portion extendingalong opposed edges of the door and any member having a portion directedinwardly from the outer extremities thereof and extending in a singleplane entirely around the door, said portion of said metal memberforming a shoulder extending continuously around the door and adapted toface the cabinet for registration with the wall thereof having theopening therein to be closed by said door, and means for preventingtwisting of said metal member to maintain said shoulder forming portionthereof in its single plane of extension around said door, said meanscomprising a rigid metal element having a portion extending along theopposed top and bottom edges of the door and another integral portionthereof extending between said opposed edges substantially centrally ofthe door.

5. A frameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a metal member forming one face of said door, a memberforming another face of the door, means for securing said door facingmembers together in spaced apart relation to provide a chambertherebetween, insulating material within said chamber, said metal memberhaving a portion directed inwardly from the outer extremities thereofand .extending in a single plane entirely around the door, said portionof said metal member forming a shoulder extending continuously aroundthe door and adapted to face the cabinet for registration with the wallthereof having the opening therein to be closed by said door, and meansfor preventing twisting of said metal member to maintain said shoulderforming portion thereof in its single plane of extension around saiddoor, said means comprising a metal element having a portion extendingalong opposed edges of the door and a tubular portion rigidly secured tosaid first named portion thereof extending between said opposed edgessubstantially centrally of the door.

6. A frameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a relatively shallow metal pan-like member forming theouter.

face of said door, a member forming the inner face of the door, meansfor securing said door facing members together in spaced apart relationto provide a chamber therebetween, insulating material within saidchamber, said metal pan-like member having a reversely bent flangeportion directed inwardly from the outer extremities thereof andextending in a single plane entirely around the door, said reverselybent ange portion of said metal pan-like member forming a shoulderextending continuously around the door and adapted to face the cabinetfor registration with the wall thereof having the opening therein to beclosed by said door, and means for preventing twisting of said metalpan-like member to maintain said shoulder forming flange portion thereofin its single plane of extension around said door, said means beingdisposed within said door and comprising a rigid element having aportion engaging said flange portion of said metal pan-*like memberalong two opposed edges of the door and another portion extendingbetween and connecting the-portions thereof engaging the flange portionof said pan-like member.

7. A frameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a relatively shallow metal pan-like member forming the outerface of said door, a member forming the inner face of the door, meansfor securing said door facing members together in spaced apart relationto provide a chamber therebetween, insulating material within saidchamber, said metal pan-like member having a reversely bent flangeportion directed inwardly from the outer extremities thereof andextending in a single plane entirely around the door, said reverselybent flange portion of said metal pan-like member forming a shoulderextending continuously around the door and adapted to face the cabinetfor registration with the wall thereof having the opening therein t-o beclosed by said door, and means for preventing twisting of said metalpan-like member to maintain said shoulder forming flange portion thereofin its single plane of extension around said door, said means beingdisposed within said door and comprising a rigid metal element having aportion engaging said flange portion of said metal pan-like member alongthe opposed top and bottomedges ot the door and anothervportionextending between and connecting the portions thereof engaging theflange portion of said panlike member.

8. A irameless door for closing an opening in a wall of a cabinetcomprising, a relatively shallow metal pan-like member forming the outerface of said door, a member forming the inner face of the door, meansfor securing said door facing members together in spaced apart relationto provide a chamber therebetween, insulating material within saidchamber, said metal panlike member having a reversely bent flangeportion directed inwardly from the outer extremities thereof andextending in a single plane entirely around the door, said reverselybent flange portion of said metal pan-like member forming a shoulderextending continuously around the door and adapted to face the cabinetfor registration with the wall thereof having the opening therein to beclosed by said door, and means for preventing twisting vof said metalpan-like member to maintain said shoulder forming flange portion thereofin its single plane of extension around said door, said means beingdisposed within said door and comprising a metal element having a rigidportion engaging said flange portion of said metal pan-like member alongtwo opposed edges of the door and another tubular portion extendingbetween and connecting the rigid portions thereof engaging the flangeportion of said pan-like member.

EDMUND F.' SCHWELLER.

